Low-cost housing demand-supply gap: Government housing planners perspective on possible solutions

The Malaysian Governments have made several attempts to make housing accessible and affordable for the low-income earners (LIEs) via various policies and programmes yet the lack of homes is high. Therefore, this paper explores the issues that have enhanced low-cost housing (LCH) demand-supply gap from the government housing planners perspective and proffer possible solutions via qualitative insight. This was achieved through a phenomenology type of qualitative approach that covered eight urban states across Malaysia. The study found that government role in ensuring sufficient supply of LCH has not been significantly demonstrated from pre-development to post-development despite various LCH policies. Among the recommendations is the imposed three acres via cumulative ruling on housing developers, enforcement of computerised open registration for eligibility of applicants, and government to establish a sustainable finance scheme to enhance access to housing-loan for only LIEs. The paper concludes that government should enforce engrave of land title deed such that only LIEs would be eligible to possess LCH while the rent-to-own scheme should be managed by an independent agency, and coordinated via the joint task force. This paper contributes to an understanding that could be provided for policymakers and developers for a better implementation of LCH provision.